Several Roman Catholic scholars have criticized a Vatican-issued draft of a proposed universal catechism that has been distributed to bishops for their reactions.
Following a symposium, the scholars told a news conference there were serious deficiencies in the document, particuarly in failing to make distinctions between essential truths of faith and peripheral elements.The 430-page document is intended as a comprehensive summary of Catholic beliefs.
Lawrence Cunningham, a theology professor at the University of Notre Dame, said one of the document's "most glaring weaknesses" is that it "suffers from what computer people would call an `information overload"' lacking guidance on "what's more important and what's less important."
Bishops are supposed to submit responses by May 31. Bishop Rayumond F. Lucker of New Ulm, Minn., who participated in the symposium, said, "I'm hoping there will be substantial changes."